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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28620432">A Moment of Rest</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaceofMer/pseuds/janto321'>janto321 (FaceofMer)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ACD Fics [39]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes &amp; Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftercare, Alpha John Watson, Alpha/Omega, Anal Sex, Bathing/Washing, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Love Confessions, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Sherlock Holmes, Omega Verse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:08:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>825</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28620432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaceofMer/pseuds/janto321</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Watson takes care of Holmes after his heat.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes/John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ACD Fics [39]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1368016</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>146</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Moment of Rest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/dmellieon/gifts">dmellieon</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I woke slowly, a stripe of sunlight slashing across our bed. Stretching, I breathed in Holmes, finding that his heat had passed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Generally, Holmes kept his omega nature carefully hidden. His heats were infrequent but when they did approach we found a reason to go to the country. I treasured these quiet hours in a cottage on the estate of a trusted friend. It wasn’t just the intimacy of our coupling, but the time spent with no other distractions or worries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In our regular lives I was always careful to treat him as an equal, if not someone slightly more than. No matter my own natural instincts, it was my duty to support him and be nothing less than a bulwark against the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But here it was just us. Here I was allowed to be his alpha, to take care of him the way I truly desired to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stirred and slowly blinked awake. He smiled at me, eyes soft, clearly sated by the last few day's activities. I leaned in to kiss him gently. "How are you feeling?" I asked. "Not too sore?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Holmes shook his head and wrapped his arms around my neck, opening his mouth to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We were both still nude and it was an easy matter to settle between his thighs. He drew up his knees, clearly craving my touch. I slid easily into him, thrusting slowly, knowing he was a bit tender after several days in a row of our coupling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed softly, relaxed, trusting me to see to all of his needs. I brushed his hair out of his eyes and raised my head, watching his face. He rarely looked so happy as he did in these moments, safe in my arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We rarely spoke of love, but that did not make it any less true. I hoped he could see it in my eyes and feel it in my touch. Perhaps he did because he leaned up to kiss me again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I slid my tongue into his mouth, claiming him this one more time. Soon enough we would bathe and prepare to return to the real world, but for the moment it was still only us. His hands smoothed down my back, encouraging me to go a little faster, greedy for me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grabbing his hips I rolled us over so that he was on top of me. He grinned warmly at me, bracing himself on my chest as he chased his pleasure. I took him in hand, again watching his face as his eyes slipped closed. I was the only one who ever got to see him this way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Groaning softly, he leaned forward and spilled across my chest. I rolled us back over and turned my head to avoid my instincts to bite and bond as I climaxed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ran fingers through my hair as I came down. "Sometimes I wish you would bond me," he admitted quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My heart ached and I turned back to kiss him. "I would never stand in the way of your reputation or your work like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know. And that is why you are the one alpha I have ever dared to trust."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe one day," I said softly. "When we've grown old together and we've retired to the countryside. Maybe then I will bond you, when it no longer matters to the world what your second gender is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He studied my face for a few long heartbeats. "I love you," he whispered at last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you, too," I said, sealing it with one more kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We lay for a while longer in one another's arms, neither of us in any hurry to return to our ordinary lives. At last, though, I reluctantly got up, leaving him to lounge in bed while I prepared a bath for us. I was growing hungry as well, but that could wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come on," I said gently, taking his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He allowed me to lead him to the tub and help him into it. I followed him, sitting behind so I could wash the last evidence of his heat away. He was loose-limbed and relaxed in my arms, clearly still drowsy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I kissed his cheek as I finished and then started to rinse off myself, only for him to turn and kneel in the tub, taking the cloth from me. I closed my eyes and let him wash me in return, feeling the tender care in his touch. I knew that he wanted to provide for me as much as I did him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he finished and I stole one more kiss as we got out of the tub. We dressed in our traveling clothes and respectability and prepared to return to the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Holmes pulled me close and gave me one more kiss as we finished. "Thank you," he murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course," I said, squeezing his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Putting on his hat, he headed out, taking the lead, as always.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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